Treating The Trauma Of War

UConn Health Center will study treatments for PTSD

July 24, 2010

Civilians generally have little understanding of the psychic trauma endured by combat veterans. Having witnessed horrific bloodshed, soldiers often return home with severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that can last for years.

So it is welcome news that the U.S. Justice Department has granted the University of Connecticut Health Center $750,000 to study two alternative treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

More than 13,000 state military people, of whom 85 percent are men, have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Based on national figures, about 40 percent of these men will develop PTSD symptoms. One study found that more than half of those with moderate to severe symptoms reported at least one act of aggression in the previous four months, and one-third had threatened someone with violence.

The raw numbers are shocking enough, but they do not begin to capture the depth of the suffering of some who return from battlefields. Stories abound of veterans engaged in reckless driving, domestic violence, substance abuse and suicide.

Julian D. Ford, a UConn Health Center psychologist, is well-qualified to lead the study, having worked with PTSD sufferers for 25 years. The study will compare the traditional method of asking veterans to describe traumatic memories as a way to reduce their fear, vs. a new approach developed by Mr. Ford, which will teach veterans how to respond appropriately when they feel intense anger or stress.

America has spent billions of dollars training soldiers for combat, but has paid too little attention to the psychic aftermath, which can cripple veterans for decades. If the UConn study leads to more effective treatment, it will have been a worthwhile investment.